1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a push button-operated flush type handle assembly employed in a plugboard cabinet and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a conventional push button-operated flush type handle assembly, a casing is provided with a concave housing and a guide hole adjacent to the concave housing; a handle body is pivotally mounted in the concave housing through a cross pivot, and swingably urged by a spring in its projecting direction; a push button is mounted in the guide hole; a latch element mounted in a rear portion of the guide hole is slidably urged by a spring toward the concave housing; a locking projection, which is engaged with and disengaged from a receiver projection of a front end of the handle body, is provided in a front end of the latch element; and, a roller, which is brought into contact with an oblique cam surface of the push button, is mounted on the latch element.
In this conventional assembly, when the push button is depressed by a predetermined depth from outside the door, the latch element is slidably moved rearward until the locking projection is disengaged from the receiver projection of the handle body, so that the handle body is released and swingably projected under the influence of a resilient force exerted by the spring, whereby the operating projection of the rear side of the handle body rotatably moves the lock plate to its unlocking position. However, in the conventional assembly, since there is not provided any means for operating the push button and the latch element from inside the door at all, it is not possible for a person, who is trapped in the cabinet while he checks cabinet installations, to escape from the cabinet by himself.